Family Relations of the Middle Generation: Adults' Frustrations and Satisfactions with Parents and Children.

Press, Allan N.; Osterkamp, Lynn

Parents and children today can expect to share nearly half a century of life in contexts likely to be increasingly complex and emotionally stressful. One way to explore the quality of adults' relationships with their parents is to compare their assessments of these relationships with their assessments of another family relationship that also contains elements of obligation, their relationships with their children. For this study, data were analyzed from 658 adults, all of whom had at least one child and at least one surviving parent. These adults reported that their relationships with parents were significantly less enjoyable and satisfying than relationships with their children, even though they felt that their children demanded or required significantly more from them than did their parents. Women reported significantly less positive relationships and also felt more was demanded from them. In another study 117 adults were asked to describe their interactions with their parents and their feelings about what they would do for them. Over 40% stated they would do anything their parents needed, some from choice and others from duty. Given the duration and complexity of relationships between adults and their parents, developing research and psychoeducational programs directed toward improving them should be a high priority. (ABL)